Best time for scuba diving in Oman
Oman is a year-round diving destination. Depending on where you want to dive in Oman, you can go scuba diving at any time. Diving in Muscat is possible at any time of year. If you want to dive in Salalah and Mirbat, it’s best to avoid June to September as the Khareef, a seasonal monsoon, appears at that time. This Arabian landscape is turned into a lush green oasis but the diving stops for a few months. The conditions are too rough for diving boats to go out.
When it comes to diving in Muscat, it’s best between May and October. Conditions are at their calmest and water temperature ranges from 25°C to 30°C. Visibility can be above 10 meters at this time. During the summer, the outside air temperature may be too hot for some, reaching well over 40°C. The extreme heat can make visiting Oman during these months a challenge. Strong winds during summer can affect visibility. The water drops to 18°C in winter and rises to 30°C in summer.
In September and October, whale sharks can be spotted around Daymaniyat Islands and Al Fahal Island. During the winter months, December to February, water temperature is usually between 18°C and 25°C. The water clarity is usually the best during this time. As you can see, there are some trade-offs to be made when deciding on the best time of year to dive in Oman.
For those wanting warmer water, outside air temperature will also be very hot. During winter, water temperature drops but there are fewer divers during this time. One thing is for certain, no matter what time of year you decide to visit Oman, you won’t be disappointed.
Hands Signals to know when scuba diving
Ask any diver what they enjoy about scuba diving. Most will describe the absolute peace and tranquility of being at depth. Some will discuss the intense pleasure of not having to speak to anyone. So… how do you communicate with your buddies, dive master and other divers during a dive? Hand signals are the most common form of underwater communication. Let’s take a look at some of the most important ones to know.
OK / Are you okay?
The OK signal is the most important signal when it comes to diving. The ok is both a question and an answer. Join the thumb and index fingers while extending your third, fourth and fifth finger. The thumbs up signal indicates to go upwards or the end of a dive.
There's a problem
Have your palm flat and slowly move your hand from side to side, followed by where the problem is. Whether it's equalizing, your weight belt or something else, pointing out where the problem is will help your dive master, instructor or buddy to know what the issue is.
OK and problem at the surface
An OK at the surface is done by joining your hands above your head and can be used to signal the boat or lookout that you’re doing OK. This can also be done using one hand depending how far you are from the boat or shore. A problem at the surface is signaled by waving both hands and yelling ‘help.’
Thumbs up or down
Thumbs up can signal to ascend or the end of a dive. When you see this signal, you should also signal thumbs up to show that you’ve understood it’s time to ascend. A thumbs down is used to signal that the diver should descend.
Look at me or look over there
A scuba instructor will point at their eyes then at themselves to show students that they should look at what they’re about to demonstrate. A dive master during a fun dive may point at their eyes then in a direction to show that people should look in that direction.
Level off or stay at my level
Used to tell other divers to maintain their depth. It’s commonly used when you’ve reached your planned maximum depth or to tell divers to hold their depth for safety reasons. Extend your palm and move it slowly from side to side horizontally.
Buddy up
If you’re too far from your buddy, you may be asked to buddy up. This is done by using both index fingers and placing them close together.
Safety stop
A three minute safety stop at five meters is demonstrated by a flat open hand with your other hand below it indicating three. This means that divers should level off and start their safety stop.
Decompression
The deco signal can be done by either raising a pinky or raising a pinky and thumb. This signal is used in the event that a diver has passed their no-decompression limit and to communicate the need for an extra safety stop.
Low on air
Once you’ve reached 50 bar or go into the red on your gauge, you should signal to all other divers that you are low on air. This is done by placing a fist in front of your chest.
Out of air
In the unlikely event that you run out of air during a dive and other buddies are close by. You can signal you have run out of air by moving a flat hand across your throat which indicates your air supply has been cut off. Your buddy should then give you their alternate and you can start to ascend.
How much air do you have?
Your dive master and buddies may ask you how much air you have during a dive so you can adjust your dive depending on how much air the group has left. This is done by placing your index and middle finger into the palm of your other hand and tapping. To signal half a tank, form a time-out with your hands, 50 bar is done with a closed fist. Each additional 10 bar is indicated with the fingers on your other hand.
Stop/hold
You may be asked to stop or hold a position. To indicate this, hold a flat hand pointing forward or hold your forearm up and make a closed fist.
Come here
An open hand and moving your fingers towards yourself in a beckoning motion is used to signal to other divers to come here.
Now we've taken a look at some of the most popular underwater hand signals. What's your favourite one to use during a dive?
Refresh or ReActivate your Scuba Diving Skills with Aura Divers
Has it been a while since you’ve been diving? Want to get back in the water but don’t know where to start?
PADI offers two different courses to help you refresh your scuba diving knowledge and skills: the PADI ReActivate Course and the PADI Refresher Course. The PADI ReActivate Course is a course for certified divers that want to refresh all the diving skills they learn during the Open Water Course. The course consists of online theory, confined water session and an optional open water session. The Refresher Course can be done in a few hours and before open water dives. It consists of a quiz and practicing in-water skills.
To do a Refresher or ReActivate course, you need to have an entry level certification from any organization. Whether to do a PADI Refresher or ReActive Course depends on how long you’ve been out of the water and your certification level. It’s recommended to do a PADI Refresher if you’ve been out of the water for longer than a year. If it’s been longer than 2 years’, the PADI ReActivate Course is the way to go. If you haven’t been diving since your initial course, it may be better to consider the PADI ReActivate Course. Both of these courses are useful for people that are a bit apprehensive about scuba diving.
PADI ReActivate
The PADI ReActivate Course is part eLearning where you can watch videos on how to perform the necessary diving skills. It helps you relearn dive theory. If you have any questions, write them down and make sure to ask your dive instructor when you see them. You’ll go over the content from your initial course like: dive planning, equipment assembly and safe diving practices. With your instructor, you can do an in-water session in a pool or confined open water. During the in-water session, you’ll go over ALL the skills from your Open Water Course.
PADI Refresher
In comparison, A PADI Refresher Course is slightly different. It goes over basic diving practices, including alternative air source use, how to clear a mask, setting up and disassembling dive gear, and how to recover your regulator. At the start, complete a quiz which you’ll go over with your dive instructor which covers dive theory and safety practices. There is no eLearning as part of this course.
At Aura Divers, we offer both Refresher and ReActivate Courses. Give us a call to discuss which is the best for you!
5 types of sharks you can dive with in Oman
5 types of sharks you can dive with in Oman
Diving with sharks is an amazing experience. Most sharks are scared of humans and will swim away as soon as they see us. You can spot up to 10 species of sharks around Oman but let’s take a look at some of the most popular:
Blacktip Reef Shark
The blacktip reef shark is a very skittish shark which poses no threat to humans. They can range from 1 to 3 meters in length. One of the most popular sharks to see while diving in Oman, you can find them at Seahorse Bay in Bandar Khayran and throughout the dive sites at Daymaniyat Islands.
Whitetip Reef Shark
The whitetip reef shark is the most common shark to be found around the Arabian Gulf. You can usually spot them resting in caves. These sharks hunt at night so during the day, it's easy to find them resting in dark places. Average length is roughly 1.25 meters.
Zebra Shark
Zebra sharks, otherwise known as Leopard sharks, live at Daymaniyat Islands. They are truly beautiful, with a long slender body, and an equally long tail. You can find them while resting on a sandy bottom. Leopard sharks eat clams, fish eggs, and shrimp and pose no threat to humans.
Whale Shark
Whale sharks are actually not whales at all and are actually a type of filter-feeder shark. From July to September, it’s common to find whale sharks at Daymaniyat Islands and Al Fahal Island. You can spot them while diving and snorkeling as they use their mouths to filter plankton from the water and remain close to the surface.
Oman Bullhead Shark
The Oman Bullhead Shark lives around the central coast of Oman and Pakistan. The average length is 56cm. The chance of seeing an Oman Bullhead Shark while diving is very rare, but some divers have reported spotting these majestic sharks during a dive. Sadly, they caught as bycatch by fisherman and as a result, their population is significantly declining.
Seeing a shark during a dive is an exhilarating experience for even the most accomplished diver. So what are you waiting for? Book your dives today.
When is Whale Shark Season in Oman?
When can i see Whale Shark in Oman?
It’s time to start thinking about your next holiday escape during one of Oman’s most thrilling seasons for adventure seekers, scuba divers, and water lovers:
Whale Shark season in Oman!
Whale sharks are unquestionably the most powerful fish in the ocean, with the largest reaching 12 meters in length and weighing up to 20 tons. (This implies they’re not just the world’s largest fish, but also the world’s largest vertebrates, with the exception of great whales.) Despite their enormous size, whale sharks are perfectly harmless to humans; they are filter feeders, and sieve small plankton from the water.
Where can I see Whale sharks in Oman
Daymaniyat Islands is one of the best spots in Oman for whale shark snorkeling and diving.
That’s because the gigantic fish congregate in large numbers along Muscats coastline every summer Whaleshark season is between September to November.
The sharks and their pups migrate south to the warmer waters of the southern hemisphere in search of many fish eggs, shrimp, copepods, and other little morsels. During this period, there is a very good chance of an encounter.
Swimming and snorkeling with Whale sharks
The Daymaniyat Islands and Al Fahal Island:
are two of the most well-known places in Oman for seeing the gentle giants up close. At Aura Divers, we provide you with an opportunity to get closeup and swim amongst the Whale sharks , which is as close to a miraculous experience as you can get in the ocean. Whale sharks are awe-inspiring creatures, not just because of their size, but also because of their elegance and beauty: with their wedge-shaped heads, muscular tails, and exquisite markings, they’re truly magnificent creatures.
Our boat dock at Al Mouj Marina makes it a great starting point for the whale-shark excursion because of its proximity to the Daymaniyat Islands. Spend the day communing with these magnificent fish, then reflect on your adventure in in one of the Marinas many restaurants and walkways Book a whale shark trip with us for the summer fun—we’ll take care of the rest.
